Download Part I: CONTEXT FOR DECIDING WHAT TO DO

University of Texas at El Paso
Bachelor of Social Work Program
SOWK 3355
Generalist Social Work Practice I
I.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is the first of three generalist practice courses designed to provide entry-level theory,
knowledge, evaluation of practice, values and skills for social work practice with individuals and
families. This course emphasizes the basics of communication, interviewing, relationship building
and professional use of self. Self-awareness, critical thinking, problem solving, intervention
planning and skills are emphasized in the course. In accordance with social work values and
ethics, this course pays particular attention to the assessment of populations-at-risk and issues of
diversity with particular focus on the El Paso/Juarez, urban/rural border region. 60 hour preinternship volunteer experience is required. As the first of a three course sequence, it provides
a foundation of theories and methods of generalist social work practice that will be built on in
SOWK 3358 (groups); and SOWK 4370 (community organizing). It is recommended that SOWK
3320 and SOWK 3330 be taken concurrently with this class. Prerequisites: SWOK 3320, SOWK
3330 and SOWK 3341.
II.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Knowledge:
o At the end of the semester the student will be able to:
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Values:
o At the end of the semester the student will:
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Demonstrate knowledge of generalist social work practice with individuals and families within an
ecological framework;
Use an empowerment approach as a foundation for practice with individuals and families, including
the development of a professional relationship, assessment of client system, collaborative
treatment plans, and assessment of outcomes;
Demonstrate an understanding of family systems, family strengths and dysfunction;
Demonstrate the ability to assess how values, beliefs, traditions, help support family life in ethnic
minority communities or in other special family groupings; and,
Understand specialized border knowledge of client systems.
Recognize the role of social work values and ethics in the professional practice of social work;
Understand the importance of, and capacity for client-systems to be self-determining;
Support the belief that individuals are capable of understanding their own realities and making
decisions in their own best interest; and,
Recognize individual diversity in race, ethnicity, class, gender, culture, sexual orientation,
spirituality, age, physical or mental abilities and national origin.
Skills:
o At the end of the semester the student will be able to:
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Identify ethical issues and recognize when client, societal and/or personal values conflict,
emphasizing the importance of human diversity and social justice in the ethical practice of social
work;
Demonstrate skills in observation, communication, interviewing, assessment, problem solving, and
evaluation of outcomes;
Explain the major dimensions of generalist social work practice and the problem solving process;
Demonstrate the ability to adapt basic social work skills to reflect the needs of clients of diverse
groups distinguished by race, ethnicity, class, gender, culture, sexual orientation, spirituality, age,
physical or mental abilities and national origin; and,
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III.
Apply Social Work values and critical thinking skills to their participation in the learning
environment.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Compton, B.R., Gallaway, B., and Cournoyer, B.R. (2005). Social work processes (7 th ed.).
Belmont, CS: Brooks/Cole
Course Packet (available in the Library copy center, first floor):
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Conceptualizing an Ethical Dilemma
NASW Code of Ethics
Chapter Three: The Application of theory to practice
Coggins, K. & Hatchett, B. (2000). Field Practicum: Skill Building from a Multicultural Perspective. Iowa: Eddie Bowers Publishing.
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Chapter 8: Cognitive Theory
Werner, H.D. (1986). Cognitive theory. In F.J. Turner (Ed.). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches (3rd ed., pp.91 130). New York: Free Press.
Volunteer Agencies Listing
Volunteer Placement Documentation
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Verification of Volunteer Placement
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Volunteer Placement Status Report
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“Dear Agency Administrator: - Letter from Social Work Program to agencies offering volunteer placements
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Volunteer Experience Time Sheet
Weekly Critical Thinking Journal Forms
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IV.
COURSE OUTLINE
Part I: CONTEXT FOR DECIDING WHAT TO DO
Introduction to the Course and Critical Thinking
Introduction to the class
Discussion of pre-internship volunteer experience
Introduction to Critical thinking
Practice Competency pre-test
Chapter 1: Introduction.
Introduction to the Generalist Model
Chapter 2: The Ecosystem Perspective and the Use of Knowledge
Chapter 3: Problem-Solving: A Process for Social Work Practice
Chapter 4: Client-Worker Partnership
Confirmation of placement due; Placements begin
Ethics and Sanctions for the Profession
Chapter 5: Authority for Social Work Practice
Discussion of the Critical Thinking Log
Chapter 6: Ethical Practice
Critical thinking exercise: Applying an ethical decision-making model
Chapter 7: Relationship in Social Work Practice
Journal entries for Week One due
 Review Agency Mission Statement
 Identify clients served
 What are the agency’s eligibility requirements?
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Chapter 19: Self Care
Self-care Exercise
Part II: TOOLS FOR DECIDING WHAT TO DO
Relationship building, assessment and planning
Chapter 8. Engaging Potential Clients
Journal Entries for Week Two due
 Identify the functions of the department where you are volunteering
 Where do the agency and the workers get their authority?
 What types of power do social service workers in the agency have?
Field Fair to explore possible Senior-year placement agencies
Basic communication skills for work with groups – Page 405 – 413
Communication Skills Exercise
Journal entries for Week Three due
 How does volunteering affect you at a personal level?
 What skills do you use to deal with stressful situations?
 Set a realistic self-care goal.
Movie Day (See selected movie with your group outside of class)
Chapter 9. Communicating Across Cultures (Emphasis on El Paso area cultures)
Group work on family traditions and common stereotypes
Journal entries for Week Four due
 Observe one staff member engaging with client(s).
 Identify and critique the staff member’s engagement skills.
An Ecosystems Approach to Assessment – Pages 349 – 360
Family Systems Assessment Models (Pages 429-430)
Class activity: Comparing generational eco-maps
Spring Break
Strengths Perspective – Page 334 – 343
Review of HBSE I reading packet (Coggins, K. & Hatchett, B., 2000)
Cognitive Theory reading (Werner, H.D. 1986, Cognitive theory, pp.91 - 130)
Understanding and assessing Motivation Opportunity and Capacity
Exercise with eco-map, genogram based on movie
Chapter 11. The Service Agreement
Goal Setting with Biological Families (Pages 437 – 448)
Critical thinking exercise: Social Work Roles
Journal entries for Week Five due
 Describe and critique your agency’s assessment process
Exercise developing a service agreement based on movie
Part III: TOOLS FOR DOING THE DECIDED
Interventions, Endings and Evaluation
Chapter 12. Intervention Methods to Mobilize Client Power
Critical thinking exercise: Self-disclosure
Journal entries for Week Six due
 Observe and critique how agency reaches service agreements
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Identify social work roles you have seen used in the agency
Chapter 13. Case Management and Formal Social Support
Family Assessment (from movie) due
Chapter 14. Mobilizing Informal Social Support
Journal entries for Week Seven due
 Interview and/or observe staff/client interactions
 Critique whether interventions are empowering
Chapter 15. Building Helping Communities
Exercise: Planning interventions based on movies
Chapter 16. Teamwork for Social Work Practice
Practice Competency post-test
Journal entries for Week Eight due
 Interview and/or observe, and critique how agency uses informal support to empower clients
and/or build helping communities within the agency
Chapter 17. Evaluating Practice
Critical thinking exercise:
Revisiting agency’s missions – Focus on goal displacement
Chapter 18. Endings in Social Work.
Termination in Context – Pages 484-491
Journal entries for Week Nine due
 Observe and critique team activities within the agency
Group Assessment and Treatment Plan Presentations
Completed Group Assessment and Treatment Plans Due
Journal entries for Week Ten due
 Pull data from previous logs.
 Critique the agency in relation to their Mission Statement.
 Are they on or off target?
Review for Final Exam
Placement Proof of hours documentation due
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Journal entries for Week Eleven due
Describe the agency‘s process for termination with clients
Describe your process for terminating with clients, staff and the agency
Final Examination
V. COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
Volunteer Experience and In-class Participation: An integral part of this course is a volunteer practicum consisting of 60 hours
(about 5 hours a week) at a local human service, medical, correctional, criminal justice, educational, or community based agency
that is involved in meeting the needs of individuals, families, or communities. Grades on your volunteer experience will be based
on in-class participation that indicates your active involvement in the placement experience, documentation of completion of 60
hours of service, and the Critical Thinking Journal described below.
Class Participation- 10 Points
Completion of Volunteer Hours - 5 Points
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Critical Thinking Journal: Each week you will be given critical-thinking based journaling guides with which you will record your
volunteer experiences. The journal will be graded based on how well you use critical thinking skills in applying the knowledge,
values and skills being studied for the course. Journal entries will be due each week. Check the syllabus and the Critical
Thinking Journal guides for required content and due dates.
Eleven submissions at 2 Points each submission for a total of 22 possible points
See syllabus and Critical Thinking Journal for due dates.
Pop Quizzes: Several pop quizzes will be given during the semester to determine whether students are reading assigned
materials. These quizzes will be brief and consist of multiple choice and/or true/false questions.
Pop quizzes to total 18 points
Family Assessment: The Family Assessment project will be based on a movie which you and your group will view together.
Each group member will complete an assessment for one character in the movie family. No two people in a group may assess
the same movie character. These individual assessments will become part of the group’s completed Family Assessment
assignment. The group will then develop a family assessment based on the same movie. The assessment must include an
ecomap, genogram and narrative summary of the family. A more detailed handout will be distributed in class.
10 points
Group Assessment and Treatment Plan Presentation: Based on the Family Assessment assignment, each group will develop a
treatment plan for the movie family based on the problem-solving model. The assessment will be presented to the class. The
completed assignment will include the following: the individual movie character assessment; the written assessment of the
family; a plan of treatment based on the problem-solving method, including identification of cultural/diversity/special population
issues; and identification of actual community resources that would be used as part of the intervention phase. Presentations, at a
minimum, should consist of a description of the family from an ecological systems perspective; the family assessment, and the
family treatment plan. Presentations and written materials must include information on special populations from at least three
sources besides the text.
15 Points
Final Exam – The final will be made up of multiple choice, true/false, matching, fill in the blank and/or labeling questions.
20 Points
Assignment
Confirmation of Placement
Family Assessment
Group Assessment and Treatment Plan
Presentations
11 Journal Entries
Documentation of Placement
Completion
Pop Quizzes
Class Participation
Final Examination
Due date(s)
Possible Points
10 points
15 points
See syllabus and Critical Thinking
journal guides
22 points (2 points per
submission)
5 points
18 points total
10 Points
20 points
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